Take all security, road safety precautions, PNP-HPG tells public

TAKE all necessary security precautions that will keep you, your family and your houses safe this week and the rest of the year and please don’t forget to check your ‘BLOWBAGETS’ or Brakes, Lights, Oil, Water, Battery, Air, Gas, Engine, Tires and Self or the drivers when going on long road trip in the wake of increasing deadly road accidents across the country.

During the 1st semester of the year, the PNP-HPG recorded a total of 15,779 traffic accidents across the country -- 9,423 of them taking place at daytime while 6,356 occurred during nighttime.

PNP-HPG highway traffic accident statistics released by the group’s spokesperson, Senior Supt. Elizabeth Velasquez said that of the 15,779 accidents recorded during the same period, 7,888 took place on national roads; 22 on expressways; 1,263 on provincial roads; 3,839 on city roads; 864 on municipal roads; 1,789 on barangay roads; and 105 on parking spaces.

During the same period, 3,660 accidents were traced to bad overtaking; 4,004 to bad turning; 2,002 to over speeding; 825 to self-accidents; 718 due to drunk driving; 677 due to the use of cellular phones while driving; 976 were the result of hit-and-run; 415 due to overloading; 1,161 due to mechanical defects; 941 due to poor road condition and 400 others due to other causes like animal crossing and calamity-related accidents.

From January to December 2015, the PNP-HPG said it recorded a total of 24,656 traffic accidents across the country which led in the killing of 1,040 persons and injuries to 11,004 others. Of the total number of accidents, 14,866 took place at daytime while the rest occurred at nighttime.

The PNP-HPG report showed that during the same period, 1,514 buses were involved in accidents; 1,912 were trucks; 10,444 were automobiles; 1,353 were jeeps; 2,131 were tricycles; 5,607 were motorcycles; and 176 were other types of vehicles. Those accidents also involved 651 pedestrians.

The PNP-HPG said the accidents took place in the following: National Roads, 10,133; Expressways, 2,086; STAR Tollway, 181; Provincial Road, 1,535; City Roads, 6,759; Municipal Roads, 1,140; Barangay Roads, 2771 and others like Parking Spaces, 50. Those accidents also led in 19,144 cases of damage to properties.

Records showed that of the total number of accidents, 1,610 involved buses; 14,428 involved automobiles, 2,497 involved jeeps, 3,292 involved tricycles and 8,728 involved motorcycles. There were also 998 pedestrians involved in those accidents.

In 2014, the PNP recorded a total of 15,572 traffic accidents, 8,807 of them daytime and 6,765 during nighttime. The 2014 accidents left 1,252 persons dead and 9,347 others wounded. Those accidents took place in the following: National Roads, 4,690; Expressways, 4,191; Provincial Roads, 881; City Roads, 2,871; Municipal Roads, 963; Barangay Roads, 1,737; and STAR Tollway, 238.

In 2014, the PNP-HPG said the following vehicles were involved in accidents: Buses,1,082; Trucks, 2,773; Automobiles,8,000; Jeeps,1,030; Tricycles, 1,261; and Motorcycles, 5,720.

PNP chief, Director General Ronald ‘Bato’ M. dela Rosa has asked the PNP-HPG and all other 18 Police Regional Offices to reiterate their public advisories to ensure road safety and security in the country.

He said that all necessary precautions must be observed in the wake of the growing number of traffic accidents mostly blamed on driver’s error and mechanical trouble.

Calls are also mounting for the strict implementation of the so-called ‘Four Es’ or Elements of Traffic Management in the country in the wake of unabated deadly road accidents in Metro Manila and other parts of the country specifically in highways.

So far, there is still no effective Land Transportation Office’s enforcement of Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act which was passed allowing a deputized law enforcer to apprehend a motorist on suspicion of DUI, indications of which include swerving, over-speeding, lane straddling, weaving, sudden stops, poor coordination or the evident smell of alcohol on a person’s breath.

Under RA 10586, if the violation did not result in physical injuries or homicide, the penalty of three months’ imprisonment and a fine ranging from P20,000 to P80,000 shall be imposed. If the violation resulted in physical injuries, the penalty provided in Article 263 of the Revised Penal Code or the penalty in the next succeeding subparagraph, whichever is higher, and a fine ranging from P100,000 to P200,000 shall be imposed.

If the violation resulted in homicide, the penalty provided in Article 249 of the Revised Penal Code (reclusion temporal or as much as 20 years in prison) and a fine ranging from P300,000 to P500,000 shall be imposed.

According to Velasquez, their records show that the Top 10 causes of road accidents in the country are driver’s error, driving under the influence of liquor/drugs, vehicle mechanical defect, over-speeding, using cell phone while driving, road repair, hit-and-run, illegal overtaking, illegal turning and overloading.

The PNP-HPG previously recommended the adoption of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2005-2010 conceptualized to help all concerned agencies to reduce road-related accidents and save people’s lives, lessen casualties and injuries and protect people’s properties.

Among the measures include the installation of multiple Roadside Guard Railings (Steel Buffers) at the sharp curve; installation of 24-hour street lights/lamps to illuminate the road specially during foggy weather condition; installation of concave mirrors in sharp curb areas/blind spot corners; installation of additional warning signage’s to include downhill speed limits signs and road markings (rumble strips) particularly in accident-prone areas; removal of protruding tree branches or unnecessary materials/items that cover traffic directional and warning signs; allocation of lay bay areas/shoulders and speed stopping lane for emergency stopover in selected hazard-free areas of the road; regular inspection of landslide-prone areas and road cuts along the highways; installation of emergency telephone booths; regular inspection and inventory of traffic signs and devices.

Another is the regular conduct of inspection of bus terminals, operators and their drivers to find out the vehicle’s roadworthiness and driver’s efficiency at least once a month. The HPG also has recommended phasing out dilapidated, converted and non-roadworthy public utility vehicles; permanent cancellation of driver’s license of drivers who blatantly violate traffic rules and regulations including drunk driving and using drugs that endanger the lives of passengers; and monthly physical, medical and neuro-psychiatric check-up of all PUV drivers.